Hydrocarbons and polymers thereof, of the structure (I)R--C(CH.sub.3).sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --C(CH.sub.3).sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --CH.dbd.CH--CH.sub.2 --Cl (I)where R is a hydrocarbon radical, are prepared by reacting corresponding starting materials which contain chlorine bonded to tertiary carbon, of the structureR--C(CH.sub.3).sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --C(CH.sub.3).sub.2 --Cl (II)with from 1 to 10 moles of butadiene in the presence of a Friedel-Crafts catalyst in a solvent which is inert to the catalyst, and the hydrocarbons or polymers thereof can be reacted in a further step of the process with a compound from the group comprising ammonia, primary or secondary amine or polyamine, amino alcohol, amino ether, hydrazine or hydrazine which is substituted up to three times.